Light bulb mounting for sealed reflector units



Aug. 7, 1951v w; M. DAMRON LIGHT BULB MOUNTING FOR SEALED REFLECTOR UNITS Filed March 7, 194'? 2 Shee'tsSheet 1 Aug. 7, 1951 w. M. DAMRON 2,563,217

LIGHT BULB MOUNTING FOR SEALED REFLECTOR UNITS Filed March 7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invent/1r Q W4W A tta rneyx Patented Aug. 7, 1951 OFFICE LIGHT BULB MOUNTING FOR SEALED REFLECTOR-UNITS William M. Damron, Topeka, Kane, l I Application March 7, 1947, Serial No. 733,103

1 Claim. (Cl. 240-41 This invention relatesgenerally to headlamps usually used on motor vehicles and the like, and more particularly to improvements in combined lens, reflector, and bulb units usable therein, the primary object of the present invention being to provide units of this character in which the bulb can be replaced without replacing the entire unit and without opening the lens and bulb and subjccting the latter to ingress of dust, air or dirt therein.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a practical and serviceable unit of the character indicated above which, besides being simple and rugged in structure and easy to install and adjust, can readily be made up of different materials in varying forms according to different manufacturing practices.

Other important objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration only, presently preferred embodiments are set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general top plan view of one embodiment.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the bulb adapter removed from the retainer.

Figure 4 is a left hand end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a group prospective view showin the bulb adapter, bulb and retainer separated from each other.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section, of another embodiment of this invention.

Figure '7 is a left hand end elevation of the for-m of retainer including the bulb employed in the embodiment of Figure 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 through 5 thereof, the numeral 8 generally designates an embodiment of this invention comprising a parabolic or tear-drop type of reflector element 9 whose forward end is closed and sealed by a lens I0, and whose rear end is truncated as indicated at H and provided with a concentric forwardly curved inner lens I2 having a peripheral flange I3 engaging a similar flange I4 on the truncated end of the reflector and defining the opening |5 closely receiving the inner lens I2.

The replaceable bulb I6 is of the type having a mounting flange I'I formed at circumferential intervals with bayonet slots l8, the bulb being mounted on a flat disk adapter I9 having bayonets or headed pins 29 on itsliorwardside for engaging. in the bayonet slots I8 in a well known manner for securely connecting the bulb. I6 with its flange I! engaging the forward side ofthe adapter I9, as shown in-Figure 2, with the base of the bulb extending inwardly through a hole in the adapter.

The adapter I9 carrying the bulb I6 i removably mounted on the truncated rear end of the reflector 9 by means of a flat frusto conical panshaped retainer 2| having angularly outset ears 22 on its peripheral flange 23 formed with holes 24 to pass screws 25 which are threadable into anchor ears 26 appropriately fastened to the outside of the reflector 9 near the rear end thereof.

The peripheral flange 23 of the retainer 2| engages the inner lens flange I3 so as to hold the same in place against the back of the reflector flange I4, thereby assembling the inner lens I2, the bulb adapter I9, and the bulb I6 in accurately axially aligned relation to each other and to the reflector 9. As indicated in Figure 2, the bulb adapter I9 seats in a conforming opening 21 formed in the center of the retainer 2|, defining an annular flange 28 against the back of which the marginal portions of the adapter having bayonet slots 29 for receiving headed pins 30 on the annular flange 28 for securing the combined bulb and adapter removably in place on the retainer 2|. The adapter has projectin lugs 3| facilitating turning it relative to the retainer 2|.

It is obvious that in the above described embodiment the bulb I6 may be removed either by removing the retainer 2| by loosening the screws 25 and then removing the bulb adapter I9 from the retainer, and the bulb from the adapter; or more conveniently, the bulb may be removed for replacement simply by removing the adapter I9 by turning it relative to the retainer 2| in a direction to disconnect the bayonet slots and headed pins, whereby the bulb I6 can be turned relative to the adapter l9 to disconnect the bayonet slots and headed pins. Reversal of the above procedures is followed in replacing a bulb.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, wherein another embodiment of this invention, generally designated 8a, is shown, the overall construction is substantially the same as that of the above described embodiment, but differs therefrom in that the inner lens |2a is secured in place by cementing or otherwise securing the flange |3a permanently in place on the flange Ida, and in that the bulb adapter, as such, is eliminated, and the bulb |6a mounted directly on the retainer 2m, which itself is somewhat diflerently removably connected to the reflector 9a.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, the retainer Zia, is of the same shape as the retainer 2| but the ears 22a are pitched at the angle of the sides of the reflector 9a and have side-opening slots 32 therein for engaging headed pins 33 on the reflector sides. In this embodiment the bottom of the retainer has only a small opening 21a to pass the base of the bulb l6a and the headed pins 20a are on this bottom instead of on the adapter [9, and in engaging these pins 20a in the bayonet slots 18a on the bulb flange Ha the bulb flange engages the front side of said bottom instead of the front side of the adapter l9. It is obvious that in this instance removal of the bulb 16a requires removal of the retainer Zia from the reflector, followed by removal of the bulb from the retainer 210., but has advantages of simplicity and small number of parts.

I claim as my invention:

A headlamp unit comprising a tapered reflector, a headlamp lens closing the forward end of said reflector, an inner lens closing the rear end of said reflector, said inner lens being forwardly curved to define a rearwardly opening bulb chamber therebehind, a removable bulb mount comprising an annular retainer positioned at the rear end of said reflector and having radial ears detachably connected to points on the sides of the reflector, a light bulb having a mounting flange, and connectin means quick-detachably connecting said mounting flange to a central portion of said retainer with the bulb projecting axially into said chamber in line with the axis of the reflector, said central portion comprising a bulb adapter, and quick detachable means connecting said adapter to said retainer, said bulb being removable from th reflector through the annular retainer.

WILLIAM M. DAMRON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,450,079 Hawthorne Mar. 27, 1923 2,117,758 Douglas May 17, 1938 2,121,310 Watts June 21, 1938 2,219,770 Falge et al Oct. 29, 1940 2,265,446 Poglein Dec. 9, 1941 2,318,311 Hicks May 4, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,311 England 1909 

